Producer Profile

As Zimbabwe refugees in South Africa, Gugulethu Mapuranga, her husband Shakespear, and some of their friends and family started GuguCrafters after realizing that the craft sector in South Africa could provide a much-needed sustainable income. The artisans honed their skills and designed unique jewelry items and other products from discarded materials. While hoping they had found safe haven from the turmoil and economic collapse in Zimbabwe, the group found itself in 2008 the victim of xenophobic attacks, and their small shop was burned down. However, after two months, the resilient group was able to purchase new tools and materials with fair trade customers advances and begin again making jewelry from their homes in Cape Town.